Staffat Ford's Transit plant in Swaythling could get £100,000 (From Daily Echo)

AND WHY NOT.UNLIKE THE FAT CAT ROBBING SCUM BANKERS THE FORD WORKERS DIDN'T DESTROY OUR ECONOMY.THE **** ER BANKERS GET MILLIONS OR OUR MONEY SO WHY SHOULDN'T THE FORD WORKERS GET A HALF DECENT AMMOUNT!

We get your point, no need to shout.

Let's not get carried away. Half of those figures are coming from their own pension pots to which they have been contributing 6% of their wages to - in some cases for up to 30 years.

IT'S THEIR OWN MONEY.

Meanwhile Don't forget some of our contractor buddies will be booted with NOTHING.

It's possible that those Ford workers in their early 50's may never get another job again so that money will have to go a long way - there could be nothing left for their old age.

There are plenty in the plant who won't think twice and exchange short term affluence for long term penury and the pauperisation of their families.

When you consider that each and every Transit worker produces £1.2 MILLION a year worth of gross product for Ford - and that some of them have been at it for 30 years+ than is £50k fair compensation?

It's certainly far short of what was offered at the Leamington Spa plant 2 years ago.

Those younger guys thinking of taking the money and running should think again. It's a hard world out there.

The Transit is still the number 1 best selling Van. The recession won't last forever. There is everything still to fight for.

shilo wrote:
We get your point, no need to shout.

His keyboard is broken, and he can't be bothered to get down to PC World and get a new one for £8.00, and he refuses to use the shift key to take it out of caps lock.

Bright Spark wrote:

shilo wrote:
We get your point, no need to shout.

His keyboard is broken, and he can't be bothered to get down to PC World and get a new one for £8.00, and he refuses to use the shift key to take it out of caps lock.

No, his keyboard is OK but he refuses to use lower case in protest at;
"FAT CAT ROBBING SCUM BANKERS & THE **** ER BANKERS"
You get gist from this and his other posts.
Millbrook Dave, let it go and move on, such bitterness will destroy you.

£100,000 pay of for some, not alot when you think its only about 5 years worth of work, and you got another 4 years to go of ups and downs in this recession.and thats just some what the majority getting a lot lower i am betting, in june we got EU elections there might be a new party on that list repersenting the cnwp vote for themif they are on the list let it been known to the main 3 partys that we are fed up with there politics

Don't forget the redundancy payment is only Tax Free up to £30,000 and any thing over is taxed at 40%!!!

So out of a £50,000 payout you will only receive £42,000.

Company didnt tell you that did they?

And you wont be able to sign on until most of thats gone.

Dont jump off the cliff lads.

The most valuable thing you can have in this recession will be a job.

good point fred. i forgot about the tax bit, and that you will not get any unemployment money till its below the £6,000 ( i think it £6,000 ). and those guys will not be counted has unemployed, so it be hiding the true figure of how many is unempoled. one way to keep the numbers looking good, one of m.thatcters ideas on how to hide true numbers.

Is it REALLY any surprise Ford want to close the factory, when the workers are so greedy??

I mean, people bolting the wheels on get £38K+ and overtime per year whilst someone in kwick-fit gets £15K for doing the same thing!

Now they want £50K-£100K redundancy!!

Is it any wonder why, in this recession, that Ford plan to scale back the Transit plant to save money?

It's not the location. It's not the quality. It's the greed of the workers that is forcing Ford to do this.

S Pance wrote:
Is it REALLY any surprise Ford want to close the factory, when the workers are so greedy??

I mean, people bolting the wheels on get £38K+ and overtime per year whilst someone in kwick-fit gets £15K for doing the same thing!

Now they want £50K-£100K redundancy!!

Is it any wonder why, in this recession, that Ford plan to scale back the Transit plant to save money?

It's not the location. It's not the quality. It's the greed of the workers that is forcing Ford to do this.

Why is it you think people doing cr*p jobs only deserve to be paid cr*p money?

The labour cost of a Transit Van built at Southampton is less than 2% of it's retail value, and you think that is excessive?

Try and stick to commenting on stuff you know something about.

I took it all for granted back in the 80's when I joined the armed forces, but now I've done my time and I've received my £165,000 tax free bounty on leaving, and also in receipt of a £28,000 a year pension, all my hard work has paid off. Glad I didn't join Fords back then.

Bright Spark wrote:
I took it all for granted back in the 80's when I joined the armed forces, but now I've done my time and I've received my £165,000 tax free bounty on leaving, and also in receipt of a £28,000 a year pension, all my hard work has paid off. Glad I didn't join Fords back then.

LOL! What were you? A Rear Admiral?

S Pance wrote:
Is it REALLY any surprise Ford want to close the factory, when the workers are so greedy??

I mean, people bolting the wheels on get £38K+ and overtime per year whilst someone in kwick-fit gets £15K for doing the same thing!

Now they want £50K-£100K redundancy!!

Is it any wonder why, in this recession, that Ford plan to scale back the Transit plant to save money?

It's not the location. It's not the quality. It's the greed of the workers that is forcing Ford to do this.

You dont have a clue do you?

The guys who bolt the wheels on Transits at Ford have to get all 4 wheels on within a 2 minute cycle. Thats 120 wheels an hour, 960 wheels a day 300,000 wheels a year.

I'd like to see them do that down your local Kwik Fit.

Thats why wheel bolters get paid twice much ...for doing 4x more work.

or a rear gunner............on a milk float LOL

localnews wrote:
or a rear gunner............on a milk float LOL

LOL..stop it! My sides are hurting now!

BTW Simon, what is a 'Ford Tranist'?

S Pance wrote:
Is it REALLY any surprise Ford want to close the factory, when the workers are so greedy??

I mean, people bolting the wheels on get £38K+ and overtime per year whilst someone in kwick-fit gets £15K for doing the same thing!

Now they want £50K-£100K redundancy!!

Is it any wonder why, in this recession, that Ford plan to scale back the Transit plant to save money?

It's not the location. It's not the quality. It's the greed of the workers that is forcing Ford to do this.

why do you always go on about kwik fit and slag of ford workers.i expect you are useing a different name and are the guy they would not take on with a chip on your shoulder.

Militant Ford Worker wrote:

S Pance wrote:
Is it REALLY any surprise Ford want to close the factory, when the workers are so greedy??

I mean, people bolting the wheels on get £38K+ and overtime per year whilst someone in kwick-fit gets £15K for doing the same thing!

Now they want £50K-£100K redundancy!!

Is it any wonder why, in this recession, that Ford plan to scale back the Transit plant to save money?

It's not the location. It's not the quality. It's the greed of the workers that is forcing Ford to do this.

Why is it you think people doing cr*p jobs only deserve to be paid cr*p money?

The labour cost of a Transit Van built at Southampton is less than 2% of it's retail value, and you think that is excessive?

Try and stick to commenting on stuff you know something about.

your spot on the guy is joke.

Some Commie Ford worker:

"When you consider that each and every Transit worker produces £1.2 MILLION a year worth of gross product for Ford - and that some of them have been at it for 30 years+ than is £50k fair compensation?"


Do all workers in any factory actually contribute to the initial investment to build and run the place? It's the usual old sour grapes trotted (or Trotskied) out when banging on about the 'social injustices' of life.

They always blame the 'fatcat' greedy bosses of any company, large or small - many of whom may have started out by sweeping the floors and working their way up.

Maybe taking big personal risks and gambling their homes on early set-ups etc? There are winners and losers in any capitalist based economy - much of it down to luck.

I think we all know about former high profile socialist 'paradises' that still got screwed by their own leaders. Not forgetting the havoc wreaked by loony lefty Trade Union leaders over the decades, and resulted in jobs going overseas.

King Mush wrote:
Some Commie Ford worker: "When you consider that each and every Transit worker produces £1.2 MILLION a year worth of gross product for Ford - and that some of them have been at it for 30 years+ than is £50k fair compensation?" Do all workers in any factory actually contribute to the initial investment to build and run the place? It's the usual old sour grapes trotted (or Trotskied) out when banging on about the 'social injustices' of life. They always blame the 'fatcat' greedy bosses of any company, large or small - many of whom may have started out by sweeping the floors and working their way up. Maybe taking big personal risks and gambling their homes on early set-ups etc? There are winners and losers in any capitalist based economy - much of it down to luck. I think we all know about former high profile socialist 'paradises' that still got screwed by their own leaders. Not forgetting the havoc wreaked by loony lefty Trade Union leaders over the decades, and resulted in jobs going overseas.

THAT MIGHT BE TRUE BUT NOW IT'S RIGHT WING YUPPY FAT CATS THAT HAVE SCREWED US NOT UNION LEADERS.
AND FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH HENRY FORD WAS A BIG SUPPORTER OF HITLER AND DONATED PLENTY OF CASH TO THE NAZI CAUSE!
HOW'S THE MARINA GOING BY THE WAY?

Yeah it will be hard for me to get a new job, but, 100,000 grand! yahoo.. and i'll tell you now, I'm going to enjoy pi55ing it up against a wall.

Millbrook Dave wrote:

King Mush wrote:
Some Commie Ford worker: "When you consider that each and every Transit worker produces £1.2 MILLION a year worth of gross product for Ford - and that some of them have been at it for 30 years+ than is £50k fair compensation?" Do all workers in any factory actually contribute to the initial investment to build and run the place? It's the usual old sour grapes trotted (or Trotskied) out when banging on about the 'social injustices' of life. They always blame the 'fatcat' greedy bosses of any company, large or small - many of whom may have started out by sweeping the floors and working their way up. Maybe taking big personal risks and gambling their homes on early set-ups etc? There are winners and losers in any capitalist based economy - much of it down to luck. I think we all know about former high profile socialist 'paradises' that still got screwed by their own leaders. Not forgetting the havoc wreaked by loony lefty Trade Union leaders over the decades, and resulted in jobs going overseas.

THAT MIGHT BE TRUE BUT NOW IT'S RIGHT WING YUPPY FAT CATS THAT HAVE SCREWED US NOT UNION LEADERS.
AND FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH HENRY FORD WAS A BIG SUPPORTER OF HITLER AND DONATED PLENTY OF CASH TO THE NAZI CAUSE!
HOW'S THE MARINA GOING BY THE WAY?

Ford were planning reductions at Swaythling and production in Turkey before the economy went titsup weren't they? In which case how are the yuppy fat cats responsible (apart from being responsible for everything according to your posts)
Incidentally I'm not sure how H.Ford's personal history is relevant (he died 62 years ago) and whilst he and many others gave money to Hitler in the early days he was well known for being vociferously anti-war.

Millbrook Dave

Calm down dear -it's only a web forum so no need to shout.

I fully agree that we are also being screwed by some fatcat bankers who are in league with Westminster. I despise these parasites as well.

Hard to relate these people with 'working class' left wing union leaders whose twisted ideas helped bring many of our companies to their knees.


Also why rake up the old chestnut about Henry Ford whose anti-Semitism was well known but no tangible evidence of his bunging dollars into the Nazi Party (democratically elected of course)


No good raking up irrelevant 1930s history books just because we are debating the modern Ford factory.


Henry is long gone and I doubt if any of the current board share the founding father's beliefs?


Capitalism does work but tainted by the greed factor of those at the top - human nature I guess.

King Mush, Woolston says...
5:24pm Mon 23 Mar 09

"Capitalism does work"

It does for 'MILLBROOK DAVE!'

King Mush wrote:
Some Commie Ford worker:

"When you consider that each and every Transit worker produces £1.2 MILLION a year worth of gross product for Ford - and that some of them have been at it for 30 years+ than is £50k fair compensation?"


Do all workers in any factory actually contribute to the initial investment to build and run the place? It's the usual old sour grapes trotted (or Trotskied) out when banging on about the 'social injustices' of life.

They always blame the 'fatcat' greedy bosses of any company, large or small - many of whom may have started out by sweeping the floors and working their way up.

Maybe taking big personal risks and gambling their homes on early set-ups etc? There are winners and losers in any capitalist based economy - much of it down to luck.

I think we all know about former high profile socialist 'paradises' that still got screwed by their own leaders. Not forgetting the havoc wreaked by loony lefty Trade Union leaders over the decades, and resulted in jobs going overseas.

What on earth are you talking about?

Until the recent downturn, the 1100 workers at the plant pushed out vans worth a total of £1.4 Billion a year.
That equates to £1.27 million per worker. This is a fact of which I and most of my co-workers are immensly proud of.
I fail to see where 'sour grapes' comes into this.
If I auditioned for 'The Apprentice' and told Alan Sugar "Last year I personally made my employer a £1.27 million turnover £400,000 of which was profit for which I was paid £28,000 " I'm sure he would hire me not as Ford intend to do, fire me.

I am merely making the point that if the wages and redundancy payments seem a little high to readers then they should be aware of just how productive and profitable the plant is.

I don't see where 'Trotsky' or 'social injustice' came into my argument - the only person going on about them is you.

"I don't see where 'Trotsky' or 'social injustice' came into my argument - the only person going on about them is you"

Maybe your assumed (militant) handle has given the wrong impression?

I have not personally vilified Ford workers and know how successful the factory has been over many decades - mostly down to the efforts of the workforce.

Perhaps my sweeping generalisations about company and union conflict have overshadowed this debate?

The Alan Sugar tangent is rather off the wall and nothing to do with this basic story of employees being laid off, or paid off - it's a sad fact of life.


However, when any large workforce is laid off there will be many large wedges flying about.


You will then find that some will use the money wisely - maybe invest in a small business which (hopefully) will be a success?

Others will go down the well known route of frittering it all away on flash cars, holidays etc etc.


No such thing as a 'job for life' and we all have to roll with the punches of what comes along.

The world is full of winners and losers or bosses and workers - take your pick.

King Mush wrote:
Millbrook Dave

Calm down dear -it's only a web forum so no need to shout.

I fully agree that we are also being screwed by some fatcat bankers who are in league with Westminster. I despise these parasites as well.

Hard to relate these people with 'working class' left wing union leaders whose twisted ideas helped bring many of our companies to their knees.


Also why rake up the old chestnut about Henry Ford whose anti-Semitism was well known but no tangible evidence of his bunging dollars into the Nazi Party (democratically elected of course)


No good raking up irrelevant 1930s history books just because we are debating the modern Ford factory.


Henry is long gone and I doubt if any of the current board share the founding father's beliefs?


Capitalism does work but tainted by the greed factor of those at the top - human nature I guess.

hendry ford use to pass money on to joseph bush, who was a big banker who held and funded hitlers fascist party, has did the fairbanks, lindenburg and a number off others and usa oil companys, all pass money on to j.bush. this carried on till the usa joined the war. then j,bush was taken to court over the matter and was fined for breaking the trade embargo, it is widely known that those familys that was involved then are still great supporters in fascism and you cant get the very top job/s unless you support fascism.

Southy:


", it is widely known that those familys that was involved then are still great supporters in fascism and you cant get the very top job/s unless you support fascism"

Strange - I always thought that one had to be of Jewish origin to 'get any top job' in the capitalist world?


Check out US and UK history to see the well known names in banking, movies, media and much more

'Lindenburg' is a very Jewish name too (unless Southy's references are not spelt correcly as usual?)

but then again linenburg (probley not spell the name wrong) is also a german orgin name, and had name changes like battenburg did and can be jewish or none jewish, the biggest name in banking ect is fairbanks connection and owership in banks oil companys and film, very much like our rothchild another name that can be jewish or none jewish

but basic you right about being jewish dose get you near the top jobs, but then so do being a fascist get you there.
look at some of the usa presidents, bush,nixon,johnson are know fascist supporting familys, hover was known to be a fascist to.
if the usa ever gets to the stage off turning dictatership it will be bloody messy over there.

I'll just revert to my oft-repeated rant that no one person has ever any country on his own.

US and UK leaders are mere frontmen plus Thatcher) and are all controlled by their Cabinet, ministers, senators etc.

These are all linked inextricably to the world's bankers, arms manufacturers, oilmen, finance companies and much more.

Yep folks - back to the Bildeberg group, New World Order, Illuminati et al.

People laughed at David icke and his American counterparts but I suggest anybody take a look at his and other visionary sites.

Forget the nonsense about shape shifting lizards, son of god and just take a long clear look at what he spouts.


Rockefellers, Rothschild and so many more familiar names are part of the network. They laugh at the 'little people' who rant about losing factor jobs etc

Militant Ford Worker.

I have read your comments with interest. I am genuinely sorry that some of your co-workers are being made redundant, like so many other people around the world at the moment, but I can’t help feeling that you’re blowing your collective Ford-Worker trumpet a little too loudly.

Firstly, in respect of the pensions; “It’s their own money”. Actually technically it’s not. You might have paid in 6% of your salary, but the tax relief isn’t your own money. I bet Ford is paying in a hell of a lot more than 6%, that’s not your own money. The tax-free investment growth that Ford will be receiving (in the long term) is not your money. When you pay money into a pension fund, it’s held under a trust for the benefit of the members, but it’s not ‘your’ money – it’s the trustees’. Consider yourselves damned fortunate to be a member of a final salary pension scheme – they’re as rare as rocking horse poo nowadays. Anyone wanting equivalent benefits would probably have to pay 25% of their salary into a personal pension. And you’re quibbling over 6%?

I’m interested to know if the profit margin is really so high (you quoted £400k profit in £1.27m turnover), why are Ford making redundancies and looking to relocate? It isn’t a loaded question, honestly, I’d like to know more from your point of view.

You mention that £100k is not a lot of money and by taking redundancy will lead to impoverishment for those people and their families. I disagree.

For those young enough to get another job, £100k IS a lot of money. Assuming that the first £30k is tax-free (depending on how the £100k is treated – redundancy or pay in lieu), the balance is taxed according to income tax. Assuming a personal allowance of £6,475, the taxable income is £63,525 with a tax liability of only £17,930. That leaves £82,070 in your pocket. That’s about 4-5 year’s income if you don’t get another job in the short term. You may not get another job paying as much as Ford, but as the median income for the UK in 2008 was £24,908, you’ve not done badly out of the time spent at Ford until now.

For those nearing retirement with, as in your example, 30 year’s service, they’re likely to pocket their £82,070 plus a pension of up to £19,000 a year (2/3 salary) and a further tax-free lump sum of £56,000. That’s £23,953 a year including full State Pension and £138,070 in the bank which cold also generate a further £7,000 a year if invested wisely. That’s more than Rear Admiral B. Spark of Stubbington, who had his arse on the firing line, as opposed to the production line.

Bottom line is, I’m sorry people are losing their jobs, and mine is far from guaranteed, but you earn more than most in the country, have better pensions and union representation. I’m not going to lose too much sleep for you.